At last, I can share the news that a new series, Neural Connections, is underway. The first work in this series, Neural Connections #1, is now finished. It is made in aspen wood and inspired by how oligodendrocytes hold on to sections of a neuron. On the lower right hand side, there is even a micro glia, clinging to one of the neuron’s dendrites. You can read more about it here:
Sometimes I’m asked how long time it takes to make one of these. This one was not too bad, approximately 150 hours. A lot of wood must be taken off first, and when the main lines are carved out, they need to be refined and refined and refined. The last week or so of working consists of making the tiniest of cuts. A full day of carving creates less chips than could fit in a thimble. There are some process pictures published here.
This time I challenged myself to carve something that could be moving. The mid section is inspired by oligodendrocytes holding around a section of a neuron. This one is carved until it became loose. It is not connected to the main part any longer. As aspen wood is brittle and chips easily, it was indeed a challenge to make. I am so happy that it did not break. However, I know I have some work to do to make such shapes flow better. I look forward to making #2 at some point in the future.
I do not make detailed sketches before starting to work in the wood. I never know how the wood grain has grown until I take off the bark and start working. The work is a negotiation between my ideas and the wood’s possibilities and suggestions. That being said, I think the sketch of my idea in the beginning is not too far off from what the end-result looks like:
Marte S. Gulliksen - Researcher, Artist, Teacher 